All Blogs
Sri Lanka cement crisis continues amid price controls
Aug 24, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s construction industry is facing a shortage of about a million 50 kilogram sacks of cement a month, a media report said as price controls limit supplies and threaten the island’s construction sector. Amid the shortages created by price controls, state enterprises have got into the act like in […]
Sri Lanka stocks slump almost one percent
Aug 23, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices slumped almost one percent Tuesday, falling for the third straight day, with gains in the health sector as investors bought into a hospital group, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index closed at 6,861. 73, down 0.96 percent (66.30 points) while the more liquid Milanka […]
Sri Lanka tea exporter calls for better labour relations
Aug 23, 2011 (LBO) – A top Sri Lankan tea exporter has suggested more cordial relations between plantations companies and labour unions could reduce “confrontational” approaches to wage negotiations. Fernando said that he believed the conflict with trade unions is largely due to lack of an ongoing dialogue between plantation owners and trade unions. “If […]
Talent Pool
Aug 23, 2011 (LBO) – Virtusa, a US-based firm which has a development centre in Sri Lanka, has struck a deal with the island’s vocational training body to provide information technology skills to its graduates. Virtusa, headquartered in Massachusetts, has offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, and global delivery centres in India […]
Asia lacks social benefits despite growth: ADB
SINGAPORE, August 23, 2011 (AFP) – Most Asian economies have not done enough to provide good jobs and adequate social benefits for their people, despite rapid economic growth over 20 years, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday. “Now is the time for us to think seriously about these kinds of issues because it’s going […]
Sri Lanka power firm to build Bangladesh plant
Aug 23, 2011 (LBO) – Lakdhanavi Ltd, a Sri Lanka-based company, has been asked to build a 52. 2 MegaWatt power plant in Comilla in Bangladesh to provide ‘quick rental’ power, a media report said. Two other coal plants of 300 MW have also been approved, media reports said. Bangladesh is estimated to be facing […]
100 arrests over Sri Lanka sex offender scare
August 23, 2011 (AFP) – Police carried out mass arrests in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday after residents clashed with troops alleged to have protected so-called “grease devil” sex offenders, officials said. At least 102 men were taken into custody in the Jaffna region when residents smashed two military vehicles, in a protest against the […]
China seeks to protect Libya trade ties
BEIJING, August 23, 2011 (AFP) – China hopes its “mutually beneficial” multi-billion dollar trade links with oil-rich Libya will continue, it said Tuesday after rebels came close to ending Moamer Kadhafi’s 42-year rule. China has ploughed billions of dollars into Libya’s rail, oil and telecom sectors, and the commerce ministry said its investments had been […]
Gold hits record above $1,900 an ounce
HONG KONG, August 23, 2011 (AFP) – Gold soared above ,900 an ounce in Hong Kong for the first time on Tuesday as dealers flocked to the safe haven asset due to growing concerns over the state of the global economy. The precious metal was trading at ,914. 50-$1,915.50 an ounce in the morning after […]
Sri Lanka stocks down 0.3-pct
Aug 22, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan share prices closed lower Monday, following Friday’s losses, with trading largely in speculative stocks on which some profit-taking was seen, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index closed at 6,928.03, down 0.34 percent (23.61 points) while the more liquid Milanka index fell 0.66 percent (42.06 points) to […]